No Normal Day Read Online Free PDF

quietly into
the entry of the front door and thought, Maybe
it's just someone I know. How can the damn bad guys sniff out the
first opportunity for mischief and mayhem! Both hands held the
gun down, she stood terrified.
She tried to
see through the slit in the blinds, the front porch was so dark that she
could only
make out a couple of sets of feet.
    “ Beth,
BETH! Are you there? Open up Beth.” Relief flooded over
her, “Jack”... she laid the
gun on the chair nearby and unlocked. As soon as the door swung back,
she pulled him inside, held him
tight. Lee stood in
the doorway. Jack said, “C'mon in Lee.” Beth let go long
enough to lock up again. She turned and
placed both
hands on the sides of his face. “God, I am glad you're home”.
    “ Me
too, Honey,” he grabbed one
her hands and kissed the
palm. “Beth, this is Lee. He got me these last miles home. It's
a good thing, I was just about walked out.”
    Beth
grabbed Lee with a hug, “Thank you so much”. They moved
from the dim entry into the kitchen's soft lantern light, Jack could
smell the food on the stove. “I am starved. Hungry, Lee? Lets
see what we've got”.
    “ No
thanks, I really need to get back to Cody, I don't like him being
there alone now.”
    “ Looks
like we got tons of food. Why don't you let Beth fix up some for you
to take back home”.
    Lee looked a bit
embarrassed, “It sure smells good, that would be great.”
    Beth
noticed the wrapped arm and said, “What's this about Jack? You
guys get into trouble?”
    “ Not
me and Lee, but his nephew walked back with me from the county line,
where the S--- Hit The Fan.” His eyes locked with
hers for a moment, he saw a
thousand questions in those familiar brown eyes. “We had a
little difficulty along the way. We will talk later, I've got
stories to tell. ” Beth
laughed, that was an old joke between them.. .stories
to tell.
    Beth
loaded Lee up with plastic containers of soup and chili, some veggies
and a piece of cornbread. She got a Walmart bag from the pantry that
he could tie on the ATV and put the containers in it. He said Cody
doesn't like cornbread and Jack stood with his mouth hanging open,
“Corn-bread, Beth! You never cook me cornbread. It must be the
end of the world.” The three people looked from one to the
other, grim faced. But then, Beth started to laugh again and they all
laughed. It was just too freaking scary to stay serious and Beth was
so relieved to have Jack home, she was pretty much giddy.
    Jack
walked Lee to the door, “Look man, I really don't know how to
thank you.”
    “ Thank me ?
Cody might not have made it without you and I am not ashamed to
admit, I love that kid.”
    Jack
put his hand on Lee's shoulder, “If things get bad, if you and
Cody need anything, you know where we are. You are welcome here, I
could probably use the help. Please don't hesitate to come. I know we
just don't have time right now but I would like to hear what you
think might have happened and where things are headed.” As Lee
started down the sidewalk, Jack noticed for the first time that he
had a slight limp. Yeah, that man had seen some bad stuff, he was
sure of that. He left the loaded golf bag behind the front hedge, so
he walked around to get it. He had found a stretchy bungee cord and
they tied the flashlight to the front of the ATV. He watched as Lee's
ride crawled away into the dark, making a very small pool of light in
front of it. He locked up and leaned against the door for a moment.
Damn, what a day.
    Back
in the kitchen, he finished the pork chops. They were pretty cold but
tasted great to him. Beth took a big insulated mug out of the
cabinet, opened the door above the built-in oven and lifted down the
nearly empty bourbon bottle. She splashed the brown liquid in the
mug, added a few cubes of ice and filled it with 7-Up. When she
reached in the freezer, she saw that the ice was still good, not
melting much yet. She refilled her wine glass. She placed the drink
in front